For the second straight year, the University of Cincinnati tried to give President Santa Ono a raise. For the second straight year, he refused.

Ono, who makes $525,000 a year, declined a raise and a bonus from UC trustees. At his request, they earmarked his planned $100,000 bonus to five campus organizations, including the Gen-1 House and Emerging Ethnic Engineers.

Rank and file workers at UC who are not represented by a union will get 2 percent raises, according to a $1.1 billion budget the board approved unanimously.

Trustees also approved substantial raises for several other UC executives. Provost Beverly Davenport received a $41,000 raise to $436,000, plus a $14,000 car allowance.

Bob Ambach, senior vice president of administration and finance, will get a $15,500 raise to $325,500, plus a $15,000 bonus.

"I think we have the best president in higher education here, and a great team around him," trustee Rob Richardson said.

The budget, about the same total as last year, reflects UC's relative financial stability.

Administrators did impose some cuts around campus, but there are no mass layoffs, Ambach said. A 2 percent tuition increase and $6.6 million more from Ohio taxpayers will enable it to invest millions in strategic priorities and scholarships.

It will continue to spend about $21.7 million to help balance the athletic department budget.

The budget also includes $5.3 million in direct payments to the UC Foundation, which raises money from private donors. That is several million more than in previous years.

During the next four years, the foundation will gradually cut a 2 percent fee it currently levies on endowed gifts to 1 percent. Instead of getting that money from donors, it will get the funds directly from the university.

Combined with a reduction in the foundation's payout to UC's general budget, that will leave more of the billion dollar-plus endowment to be invested.